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Does anyone provide programs especially for teen parents? I have noticed that there are a few that come to my library and they don't seem to fit in with adults or teens. Please let me know what I can do to reach these library users.

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ms.lameane

Good news! I was able to get in touch with the good people at Pima County Public Library to find out more about the Project LIFT program. Here's what they said:

"I am Frederica Leonardo-Torres and was curriculum consultant to Project LIFT and coordinate and teach the curriculum to over forty six sites which include parenting programs in schools, alternative education programs, social service agencies and the reservation. Quite often these young parents confide in me that they don’t feel they have much control over their life since having child/children. As the parents participate in the literacy activities during the ten sessions they find that Project LIFT empowers them to have control over their child’s social, cultural and educational learning. Session 1: Benefits of Reading to Baby; Session 2: Understanding the Magic of Bonding; Session 3: Types of Books that Babies and Children Like; Session 4: Planning for the Construction of a Cloth Book; Sessions 5-9: Book Making and Session 10: Graduation/Celebration. Over the ten years it has been wonderful to see these young parents develop the passion for reading to their child as they learn the benefits of providing early literacy skills/life skills to strengthen their son/daughter. The success indicators built into the curriculum consist of: Classroom Teacher Survey utilized for direct feedback on program effectiveness; Evaluation Form providing direct feedback from the program participants; Pre and Post Surveys measure changes in reading behaviors.

It is a hand on program that promotes literacy skills for the teen parent as they author and illustrate a canvas book which they develop for their own child. Along the way they read aloud to their child and document these books. It is compassionate to observe the bonding process between the parent/child interactions. They also get the extended family /support system reading, playing games, providing reading readiness interactions, nursery rhymes and songs to the child/children in the environment. The emphasis is on reading early to the child as they will have familiarity with early literacy skills and have a more successful entry into school.The parent documents these activities on their GRINS, Games, Reading Interactions, Nursery Rhymes and Songs sheets. The Pima County Public Library has recently taken the six early literacy skills that The National Research Council recommends and has created a flier that is easily understood by parents and care givers of children. Gina Macaluso who is both the Pima County Public Library’s Coordinator of Youth Services and an author herself has placed some pictures of these phenomenal youth on the website. If you go to the website at http://www.tppl.org/services/literacy/projectlift.cfm you will see one of the classes as I was lucky to meet an author who herself was a child of teen parents! Judi Moreillon has come to some of the Project LIFT sites and I have taken pictures of her with the parent and child so that they can have the picture to remind them of the experience of how valuable books need to be part of their family’s life. Judi has authored the book Read to Me. The book has been translated in Spanish, Vamos a Leer by Mary Margret Mercado who also is a Pima County Public Librarian who works in the Pima County Juvenile system. Judi can be seen in these pictures on the web. This book as well as a bookmark translated by Fresia H.Lopez is integrated into the Project LIFT Curriculum. At graduation we celebrate the teen parent’s efforts by presenting them with a Project LIFT certificate that they have earned. They also receive a library canvas bag, to use on their visits to the library, and ‘shop’ choosing from a selection of multicultural books for themselves and their child. A baby book, Baby’s first Years, Growing With Books/ Los Primeros Anos de Bebe, Creciendo Con Libros was created too and funded by the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. Project LIFT was the only public library program selected in 1997 to receive a grant from the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy. The Friends of the Pima County Public Library, the Pima County Public Library budget, Grants and workshops that I provide through the Arizona State Parent Information Resource Center help with funding to provide a quality program. I am extremely thankful to be meeting new people daily and spreading the word that reading is fun and strengthens families! It is awesome to be called by a teen parent and to meet with them and their child as they walk in the library for the first time!

Please let me know if I can answer any questions that you or others may have."

If anyone wants to get in touch with them, let me know!
Zola
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